It’s no April Fools’ joke that certain banking entities were paying 5% to 6% dividends on deposits 50 years ago. Prices for groceries, clothing, cars, building materials, and TVs have changed, too, according to 1972 ads clipped from The Fayette County Record in La Grange, Texas. Let’s take a look.
Packing Plant in Fayetteville back then. The price for half a calf (150 to 175 pounds), cut and wrapped, ranged from $102 to $119.
demonstrators?)
La Grange, $1 would have bought your choice
of three packages of paper towels, three cans
of tuna fish or three four-roll packages of toilet
paper, plus you’d earn Money Stamps to
save for future purchases.
could choose a laundry basket or pail,
wastebasket or dishpan for $1.Bobby pins
were on sale for 10¢ a card.
its highest priced made-in-America shoes
from $16 to $12.90. Another good value was
the sale price of $3.90 on $5 styles.
and plumbing supplies, (plus so much more)
in La Grange, Farmers Lumber Co. advertised
½-inch plastic pipe for 5¢ per foot.
Zenith color TV for $469.95. While it was a
competitive price back then, now a VIZIO
55-inch Smart TV sells for $384 on Amazon.
TVs are a bargain today versus 50 years ago!
Do any of these vintage ad prices surprise you or remind you of purchases you made?
BTW, if Fayette County, Texas, news from 50 years ago interests you, check out my Remember When column every Tuesday in the biggest and best semi-weekly newspaper in the state. It covers lots of current happenings too! To purchase a digital subscription (that you couldn’t buy in 1972), click:
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Reflecting my cherished Western Canada and Texas rural roots, I am irresistibly drawn to the stories of country people whose lives resonate with purpose, courage and hope. I invite you to read more about them at www.elainethomaswriter.com to see other stories I’ve saved.
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Those prices sure take a person back in time. The cheapest I can remember gasoline and diesel was 3 cents a liter. I know a fella could take his girl out for a date for $5. And you were not considered being cheap at that time. A brand new 1973 Dodge half-ton A plain-Jane one Could be bought for $3000. A new 1968 Volkswagen beetle was $2200.
Times have sure changed.
You’re right, Sam. Of course, income levels were a lot lower 50 years ago, but it’s still pretty interesting to compare then and now. Thanks for writing!
I have your book that came out a few months ago and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Can’t wait for the next one.
Thanks, Ruby! So glad you enjoyed Stories I’ve Been Told – Volume 1. I’m working on Volume 2 right now and it should be ready in November. Good people! I found those I interviewed inspiring.
Love this. Thank you for sharing. I read your column faithfully.
Glad you found the ads entertaining, Gesine. I was surprised at how many brand names I recognized. Thanks for your support!
I had to smile at the TV as I was a newlywed and we had a TV similar, but ours was black and white. Another ad that I loved to see was about giving “Honey Stamps” with purchases. Thanks Elaine for bringing some smiles to my face.
Do you recall when we served as the remote control by walking up to the set and flipping the dial? That was a long time ago!
Of course we had only a couple of channels, maybe only the 3 networks. So it was no big deal.
There wasn’t much to channel surfing back then! We tended to watch the same shows every week at the same time.
So very interesting! What a difference in the meat prices in 50 years! Thank you for sharing! This means a lot.
I can picture your dad’s grin! He would have enjoyed seeing his old advertisement.
Bobby Pins — 10 cents a card!! They really were THE GOOD OLD DAYS.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane. As always, you are such a talent.
To know what bobby pins are you have to be of a ‘certain age’ and we both qualify! Glad the old ads made you smile.